Temperature-compensator for electrical control devices



F C. BARTON. TEMPERATURE COMPENSATO'R FOR ELECTRICAL CONTROL DEVICES.

APPLICATION FILED 050.20. I916.

1 ,3 13,05 1 Patented Aug. 12, 1919.

lfiv eht, or: F'F'ederi ck .CB cur't cm by I I His mu, orfi e UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK C. BARTON, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TEMPERATURE-COMPENSATOR FOR ELECTRICAL CONTROL DEVICES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 12, 1919.

Application filed December 20, 1916. Serial No. 137,966.

and useful Improvements in Temperature- Compensators for Electrical Control Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to temperature com- .pensators for electrical control devices and particularly to temperature compensators for vibratory r"gulators.

An object of my invention is to provide improved temperature compensating means whereby the operation of the electrical control device, to which said means is applied, whether it be an automatic regulator, a combined regulator and reverse current cut-out, or other device, will be uniform at all times and practically independent of the temperatureof the device.

Another object of my invention is to provide a'voltage regulator, comprising an electromagnet having a voltage winding, a vibratory contact operated by said winding, and a non-vibratory contact cooperating with said vibratory contact, with thermostatic means associated with the non-vibratory contact to 'adj ust the position thereof in response to temperature changes in the regulator to compensate for the effect of said changes upon the responsiveness of said .voltage winding.

For a better understanding of .my invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, in which the single figure illustrates, for the most part diagram: matically, one form of my invention embodied in a system of regulation for a direct current generator. In said figure I have illustrated my invention applied to'a combined regulator and cut-out shown in con-, .nection with a system which comprises a direct current generator 1, having a shunt field winding 2 and an adjustable shunt field resistance 3. This generator, which may be driven by any suitable means, is arranged to supply current for charging the storage battery 21 and for lights or other translating devices 22.

' Interposed between the generator and the translating devices is a combined regulator and cut-out mechanism having cooperating contacts 4 and 5 which are adapted through suitable connections to short circuit the field resistance 3. The contact 4 is adjustably mounted in a member 9 which is supported by means of the thermal member 7-8 upon the member 6, which is attached to the casing of the regulator.

The members 7 and 8 have unequal coefficients of expansion so that changes in the temperature to which they are subjected will effect a raising or lowering of the member 9 and the contact 4 carried thereby.

The contact 5 is carried by the armature 13 which is supported by means of a spring 10 formed of a light, thin, fiat ribbon of spring steel, rigidly attached at its ends to fixed supports 11 and provided intermediate the movin relatively large oops 12. The armature 13 is adapted to cooperate with the core 14 of an electromagnet.

I have illustrated this electromagnet as provided with a plurality of windings, one of which, designated by the number 15, is connected across the armature of the generator and the other of which, designated by the number 16, is interposed between the generator and the storage battery. The translating devices 22 are connected, as shown, to an intermediate tap on the winding 16.

Cooperating with one end of the core 14 is an armature 17 mounted upon a pivoted member 18 which carries a contact 19 adapted, when the armature 17 isin its attracted position, to engage with the fixed contact 20 to connect the generator to the winding 16.

I at present understand the operation of the combined regulator and cut-out with my improvement embodied there'into be as follows: Assume that' the generator 1 is drivenby an means having variable speed.

When the v0 tage of the generator is below a predetermined value, the contacts 4 and 5 will be in engagement and consequently the resistance 3 will be short circuited thereby. This condition enables the generator to build up rapidly, and when a predetermined voltage is reached, the voltage winding 15 will be energized to an extent sufficient to attract the armature 17 carried by the member 18, and hence to connect the battery 21 and the translating devices 22 through the series winding 16, contact 20, and contact 19, to the generaton, The arrangement of windings 15 and 16 is such that current flowing from the enerator to the battery and translating (evices will cause the winding 16 to assist the voltage winding 15.

Upon the voltage increasing to a certain higher value, thearmature 13 will be attracted due to the effect of the windings 15 and 16 and consequently the contacts 4 and 5 will be disengaged and the resistance 3 inserted in the field of the enerator. The design of the generator fiel winding 2 and resistance 3 is such that, if the resistance 3 continue short cireuited the generator will maintain a voltage higher than that desired, whereas if'the resistance continue in series with the field winding 2 the generator will maintain a voltage below that desired. These maximum and minimum values of the generator voltage are such that the armature 13 and hence the contact 5 are caused to vibrate as the generator voltage fluctuates from the maximum to the minimum value. This vibration produces a regulation of the generator voltage in a well known manner. The winding 16, since it is cumu lative with respect to winding 15, modifies, according to the amount of current flowing from the generator to the battery and translating devices, the operation of the reguator.

The winding 16 furthermoreacts, in case the voltage of the generator falls below that of the battery and current consequently tends to flow to the battery from the generator, differentially with respect to the winding 15 and permits the contact 19 to be moved by gravity, or otherwise, out of eng ement with contact 20.

n the operation of the regulator it is ob-' 15 at different temperatures is an objectionable feature. The efiect of the variation in temperature is, according to my invention, nullified by mounting the non-vibratory contact in the support 9, the position ,ot' which is varied by means of the t iermostatie members 7 and 8, so that upon a rise in the temperature of the regulator the non-vibratory contact 1 will tend to move away from .the vibratory contact 5 and with a reduction in the temperature said non-vibratory contact 4 will tend to move toward the v1- bratory contact 5. This thermostatic adjustment of the non-vibratory contact results in the modification of the relative periods durin which contacts L and 5 are engaged and isengaged, and hence of the relative periods during which the resistance 3 isnrespectively shortcircuited and in series with the field winding 2.

While I have shown and described one form of my invention applied to one type of electrical control device, it is, of course, obvious that my invention is not limited to the specifiic structure shown nor to the particular application illustrated, and I seek to cover in the appended claims all modifications and variations that come within the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure 'by Letters Patent of the United States is,-

1. In an electrical control device, the combination of a non-vibratory contact, a vibra tory contact adapted to e06 )erate therewith, electro-responsive means a a ited to actuate said vibratory contact, an thermostatic means for adjusting the position of said non-vibratory contact in response to temperature changes.-

2. In an automatic regulator, the combination of an adjustable non-vibratory contact, a vibratory contact adapted to cooperate therewith, electro-responsive means comprising a winding adapted to actuate said vibratory contact, and supporting means for said non-vibratory contact comprising a lurality of members having different coe cients of ex ansion and adapted to vary the position 0i said non-vibratory contact in response to temperature variations of the regulator.

3. In an automati regulator, the combination of an adjustable non-vibratory contact, a vibrator contact adapted to cooperate therewith, e ectro-responsive means comprising a voltage winding ada ted to actuate sald vibratory contact, an supporting means for said non-vibratory contact comprising a pair of parallel members havim different coefficients of expansion am adapted to vary the position of said jnonvibratory contacts in response to tempera ture variations of the regulator.

4. In an automatic regulatm, the combination of an adjustable non-vibratory contact,v a vibratory contact adapted to 006perate therewith, a looped spring rigidly supported at its ends for supporting said vibratory contact, electro-responsive means comprisin a voltage winding adapted. to actuate sald vibratory contact and supporting means for said non-vibratory contact comprising a pair of parallel members having difi'erent coefiicients of expansion and adapted to vary the position of said. non-vibrator contact in response to tem- 10 pera ture varlati'ons of the regulator. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of December, 1916.

Y FREDERICK C. BARTON. 

